When is the best time to visit Manuel Antonio?
The best time to come to Manuel Antonio is all year round. The rainforest stays magnificent throughout the year and amy be the only variations you find from one month to the next is the blooming or fruiting of some species. The temperature doesn’t change much either, neither the humidity levels.
In this post we will see:
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The best time to come to Manuel Antonio Costa Rica hangs on what are your priorities during a holiday. And when can you travel of course.
People coming from the North usually likes better to get away in the colder months, which almost concide with our sunny season.
We will do our best to give you a detailed guide of the best time and places to come regarding your wishes, priorities and preferences.
Let’s first talk a little about seasons in Manuel Antonio:
The selection of the best time to come to Manuel Antonio Costa Rica has a lot to do with the weather if you can travel whenever you like.
Just like the rest of Costa Rica, we have two seasons, dry season and rainy season. Neither the temperature nor the humidity levels change much because of this seasonality.
And rainy does not mean it rains all day long. Usually, it’s a couple of hours per day.
The weather of Manuel Antonio:
One of the important things to see when you are deciding when to come to Manuel Antonio Costa Rica is the weather:
Some Data From Beach Weather:
March is the warmest month in Manuel Antonio is March with an average maximum of 89.6°, an average temperature is 78.8° F (26° C) and an average minimum temperature is 73.4° F (23°C).
January is the month with lower temperatures in Manuel Antonio National Park with an average maximum temperature of 86° F (30°C). The average temperature is 77°F (25° C) and the average minimum temperature is 21°.(1)
Rainy season. May to November:
In the rainy season, it is quite sunny during the day. Clouds may show up in the afternoon and the rain usually goes for the night.
Sunny Season: Late November to May:
In the sunny season, it may also rain, especially from December to February as sometimes there may be cold fronts that can affect the general sunny pleasantness. But it certainly is the exception to the rule.
Water Temperatures in Manuel Antonio and Quepos:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | August | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Min. Water Temperature °C (°F) | 28.5 | 28.8 | 29.3 | 29.4 | 29.1 | 29 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 28.4 | 27.8 | 27.8 | 28 |
| 83.3 | 83.8 | 84.7 | 84.9 | 84.4 | 84.2 | 83.7 | 83.7 | 83.1 | 82 | 82 | 82.4 | |
| Avg. Water Temperature °C (°F) | 28.7 | 29.1 | 29.5 | 29.6 | 29.4 | 29 | 28.9 | 28.9 | 28.6 | 28.1 | 27.9 | 28.3 |
| 83.7 | 84.4 | 85.1 | 85.3 | 84.9 | 84.2 | 84 | 84 | 83.5 | 82.6 | 82.2 | 82.9 | |
| Max. Water temperature °C (°F) | 28.9 | 29.3 | 29.8 | 29.8 | 29.6 | 29.1 | 29 | 29.1 | 28.8 | 28.5 | 28.1 | 28.6 |
| 84 | 84.7 | 85.6 | 85.6 | 85.3 | 84.4 | 84.2 | 84.4 | 83.8 | 83.3 | 82.6 | 83.5 |
The annual water temperature for the Central Pacific of Costa Rica is on average 28.80°C | 83.84°F.
The month with the highest water temperature is March with 29.80°C | 85.64°F. The lowest water temperature of 27.80°C | 82.04°F will be reached in October.
(2)
What is it that you’d like for your vacation in Manuel Antonio Beach?
Sunny Season Activities
Beach, swimming pool, warm weather and warm sea.
Adventure:
All year round. However, depending on the experiences you are searching for the best months.
Sunny Season Activities:
All sea activities like snorkeling, sea kayaking, banana boat and paraglide.
Diving and Snorkeling: Sometimes in the sunny season there is less sediment and visibility improves.
Ziplining: Better in the dry season. However very possible and enjoyable during the rainy season.
Windsurfing: The best time to travel to Manuel Antonio for windsurfing is January in the Arenal Lake or La Cruz Guanacaste.
Both seasons, but different.
Hiking:
Hiking in the rainy season: You will find mud, and trails may be harder especially in less used trails. However as there is more food in the forest (Especially in regions North from Quepos and Manuel Antonio) than in the sunny season, chances to see wildlife are higher on the sunny days of the rainy season.
Hiking in the sunny season: It is easier and nicer of course. Hoever you must plan activities so that at noon you will be under cover and preferably close to AC or at least a fan, as temeperatures rise.
- Rafting: Rafting is an activity of the rainy season. However, it is better done during the months of June, July and August, as in September and October rivers tend to accumulate much more water and unexpected and dangerous flashfloods may appear.
Activities you can do in Manuel Antonio all year round:
- Mountain Bike: All year round, all throughout the country… What’s MTB without a bit of mud on you?
- Spelunking: All year round.
- ATV
- Kayaking
- Horseback Riding
- Tubing milder and safer in the sunny season.
Nature and Wildlife Sightings
When to to see wildlife in Manuel Antonio:
All year round
- Monkeys
- Sloths
- Dolphins
Whales:
From August to November
Birdwatching
Manuel Antonio is an exceptional destination regarding birdwatching, and it’s great all year round.
From October through March/April you can find the migratory species as much as the residents, and this allows a much better experience for birdwatchers.
So, for birdwatchers best time to travel to Manuel Antonio is from October to March.
Migratory Species
October is a fabulous time to watch the impressive raptors migration to the South. Its highest peak of this fascinating nature display is at the beginning of November!
Costs & Availability throughout the year:
Fewer travelers suggest more affordable rates as most of the Pacific side give discounts of 20-30% during the September and October months.
Now, if you are into a combination of all the above, for us, the best time to travel to Manuel Antonio as you can see is the sunny season. But then again there are many very convenient perks in the rainy season.
As said previously, the best regarding your trip is to talk to one of us directly and see when the best time to travel to Manuel Antonio is for you and create a unique vacation together with our knowledge and your wishes and priorities.
References:
- “Annual average weather for Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica.” BeachWeather. 9 Jun. 2021. Web. 22 Oct. 2022. https://beach-weather.com/Central-America/Costa-Rica/Central-Pacific-Region/Manuel-Antonio-National-Park/averages/
- a. “Parrita climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Parrita water temperature – Climate-Data.org.” En.climate-data.org. n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2022. <https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/costa-rica/puntarenas/parrita-29040/>
